In the beginning -
The Coast Steamship Company Ltd, registered on 15 November 1875
Yorke's Peninsula Steamship Co Ltd, began as Southern Yorke's Peninsula Steamship Co, later dropping the 'Southern" part of company title. Incorporated in 1881
They amalgamated in 1905 and became the Gulf Steamship Company
Not to be confused with the first 'GULF Steamship Co' Ltd., Port Adelaide that began in 1885 with the imported steamer Maitland and collapsed in 1887
West Coast Shipping Company Ltd began with five small schooners and ketches to to serve the Western Bays and touch at such remote landings as Perlubie and Carawa.
In 1913 the company amalgamated with the Gulf Steamship Company to form the second Coast Steamships Company, namely Coast Steamships Limited.
The drought of 1914 affected most of Australia's cereal growing areas and cut down the local demand for shipping. By the end of the year the directors of the Adelaide Steamship Co knew that the Coast Steamships "would not be averse to a takeover bid'.
On 20 January 1915 an extraordinary meeting of the Adelaide Steamship Co was authorise "to acquire the whole of the assets of the Coast Steamships Ltd". The Coast Steamships was kept running as a complete entity, its fleet maintaining the West Coast, Yorke Peninsula and Kangaroo Island trades.
By the end of the 1930s Coast Steamships was running five ships: the Warrawee, Yandra, Kopoola, Karatta and Kooraka.
The company ceased operations on 29 March 1968, when its last ship, the Yalata, was sold because of dwindling trade and mounting losses. (source Noel Butlin Archives)
Quite separate was the SPENCER'S GULF Steamship Co. Formed in Adelaide in 1876 the company merged with the Adelaide Steamship Co in 1882.

MAITLAND1885-1955 50 tons gross, 116 under deck and 40 net. Lbd: 100' x 18'2" x 9'5". Iron single screw steamship built by J Knox & Co, at Hylton near Sunderland. Composite engine producing 45 horsepower. 1 deck; Quarter Deck 15 feet. Bridge 5 feet. Passenger-cargo vessel first recorded owner being the Gulf Steamship Co Ltd., Port Adelaide. Used for their St. Vincent Gulf services. September 1887 owned by W F Walker of Melbourne. Frequented the smaller coastal ports of Victoria up to the Gippsland Lakes area. August 1891 owned by Vannifax & Arkhurst. December 1893 owned J M Walker. 1899-1928 owned by Melbourne Steamship Co Ltd., Melbourne. They employed her on a mail contract to the southern coast of Western Australia as well as on the Port Phillip Bay, Victoria service, possibly as a lighter. November 1928 owned by F & H Greening. December 1929 owned by the Marine Board of Launceston,Tasmania who used her purely in a 'tug' capacity. Dismantled and consequently scuttled December 1955

CERES 86 gross tons, 58 net. Lbd: 90'1" x 16'3" x 6'7". Iron steamship built by Foreman & Co., Yarrabank Melbourne, with compounded engine = 28 horsepower also constructed by the shipbuilder. Built for C Heath registered Port Adelaide. February 1876 owned by Coast Steamship Co Ltd running a regular passenger service to Stansbury and Port Vincent on Yorke Peninsula. 1907 of the Gulf Steamship Co Ltd. Spent her early years in the Spencer Gulf passenger trade, until sold to J Black, registered Hobart. Work ethic in Tasmania unknown. Arrived at Geelong, Victoria in May 1916 towing the barque John Murray. Served in Corio Bay for a number of years as a tug under ownership of Geelong Harbour Trust. Broken up in 1934JUNO 241 gross tons, 102 net. Lbd: 129'9" x 23'1" x 8'5". Steel steamship built by George Brown & Co., at Greenock, 1903. Of compounded engine = 84nhp. Owned by Coast Steamship Co of South Australia Ltd, as a passenger-cargo vessel servicing the coastal ports of South Australia out of Port Adelaide. June 1906 owned by Gulf Steamship Company, in replacing the 'Ceres'. Finally with the new Coast Steamships Ltd as at 1913. Scuttled in North arm graveyard, Port of Adelaide with register closed 1931

postcard showing James Comrie berthed forward of the steamer Corio left side with sail vessel Hirotha and the Southern Yorke Steamship Co's Warooka right side of Edithburg jettyRight image (PRG280_1_14_621) of James Comrie converted into the Tug YULTA, as seen here excursion day 1914 & courtesy State Library South Australia >

JAMES COMRIE 101 gross tons. Wooden screw steamship. Lbd 94 x 18 x 8 feet. built in New South Wales at a cost of £4000. Yorke Peninsula Steamship Co Ltd started its services with this steamer servicing between Port Adelaide and Edithburgh. With the amalgamation of 1905 she was sold to unknown buyer, converted into a 64-ton tug and renamed Yulta. On 29th May 1926 she was towing barges to Port Adelaide when she sprang a leak and beached near Point Turton jetty. She was abandoned there when found to be beyond economical repair

KARATTA 553 gross tons, 239 net. Lbd: 175' x 28'1" x 11'4". Steel hulled passenger-cargo steamship built by G Brown & Co, Greenock for the Gulf Steamship Co Ltd, Port Adelaide. Single screw, triple expansion engine = 82nhp. single boiler. Capable of 11 - 12 knots. 1913 of Coast Steamships Ltd. Designed for the Port Adelaide - Kangaroo Island service, of which she serviced for more than 50 years. Transported a variety of cargo, including automobiles on deck. Carried 'day' passengers only (418) when on occassion visits to Glenelg doing gulf excursions on weekends and public holidays. A coal burner converted near the end of of career to oil burning capability, and she made her last voyage to Kangaroo Island November 3rd 1961. Sold to Heines Metals Ltd for breaking up on 8 November 1961. Karrata means "The meeting of the waters"

AUSTRALIAN1879-1913 362 gross tons, 191 net. Lbd: 160'3" x 22'5" x 10'5". on: 78693. Iron steamship built by Gourlay Bros, Dundee for B B Nicoll, Sydney. Compound engine (coal-fired) powerage unknown. December 1879 of B B & G W Nicoll. The Nicholl brothers gainfully employed all their vessels on the timber trade from Port MacQuarie to Sydney. November 1880 owned by John See, New South Wales trades as timber and various cargoes as rquired. John See went on to Parliamentary status within that state as well as formation of North Coast S N Co, Sydney. December 1891 owned by North Coast S N Co Ltd. February 1902 owned by W Holyman & Sons Ltd., registered Launceston. Primarily servicing Bass Strait run. 1906 of the West Coast Shipping Co Ltd, South Australia. May 8th 1912 stranded on Wardang Island, Spencer Gulf South Australia. All efforts in refloating her failed and she was stripped and abandoned where she lay

WOOKATA 648 gross tons, 344 net. Lbd: 180'4" x 28'9" x 9'7". on: 122727.Steel, single screw steamship built by Mackie & Thompson Ltd, Govan, Scotland, for the West Coast Shipping Co Ltd, Port Adelaide. Held a triple expansion engine, made by Muir & Houston, Glasgow. 640 nhp, 700 ihp. 10 knots. Day passengers only. In the early years with the West Coast Shipping Co ran a regular ten day service to the Western Bays. 1913 of the Coast Steamships Ltd, remaining on the gulf services. 1936 converted into a barge. Sold for scrapping purposes late 1970'sWANDANA 909 gross tons, 492 net. Lbd:205'7" x 32'6" x 11'8". on: 122745. Steel single screw steamship built for the West Coast Shipping Co by Mackie & Thomson Ltd, in Glasgow, Scotland. Held a Muir & Houston triple expansion engine 156 nhp, 1200 ihp, two coal fired boilers and rated 12 knots. Passenger accommodation - 80 first class, 20 steerage. When ordered by the West Coast Shipping Co she was intended for the Port Adelaide - Murat Bay (West Coast) passenger trade. Well designed for accomodation of 100 first class passengers in staterooms within main deck, The Ladies were catered for with their own room on the promenade deck whilst steerage passengers were exactly that, placed aft. By the time she arrived in May 1913, she performed on such run. November 1913 of the Coast Steamships Ltd and placed on the Port Lincoln - Port Adelaide run and the Wallaroo - Cowell trade in stiff competition to the Adelaide SS Co's 'Morialta'. 1915 was chartered by the Adelaide Steamship Co to run the mail around the Spencer Gulf ports, and did so for the next 12 years. January 1918 re-measured at 964 gross, 514 net tons. November 1922 again re-measured at 974 gross, 502 net. Owned by John Burke & Co, Brisbane 1931-1948 servicing Queensland ports after major accomodation refit. (He even made special accomodation for about 12 natives). Requisitioned by the Royal Australian Navy 1941 and serviced the run to Darwin. Returned to owners post hostilities and scrapped 1948Wandana means "Along the coast"

COAST STEAMSHIPS Limited1913-68 formed 1913 from the merger of GULF Steamship Company and the West Coast Shipping Company Ltd Commenced operations with the vessels - Juno, Karatta, Kooringa, Kopoola, Warrawee, Wookata, Wandana and possibly Warooka. Some of these vessels were replaced with the specificially built Kooraka in 1925, the chartered Kapara of 1925, the purpose built Yandra in 1928, the purpose built Parndana in 1955 and finally the Yalata in 1959January 1915 taken over by Adelaide Steamship Company, retained as a separate entity complete with Company name status and livery and of course, continuation of existing services within the Gulfs.Ceased operations on 29 March 1968, when its last ship, the Yalata, was sold because of dwindling trade and mounting losses

YANDRA 1st & 3rd images courtesy of State Library South Australiacentre image courtesy Australian War Memorial>

YANDRA 990 gross tons. Lbd 211'1" x 35'2" x 11'9". Steel single screw motorship built by Burmeister & Wain in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1928. Arrived to Australia on 23 October 1928. Coast Steamships Ltd. Passenger accommodation - 16 (later 4) first class. Requisitioned June 1940 as a Minesweeper & anti-submarine vessel as commissioned 22 September 1940, renamed HMAS Yandra. Rammed Japanese midget submarine (M21 - Matsuo) at least once and followed through with 6 depth charges during the daring night raid on Sydney Harbour 31 May 1942. Although the submarine made it further within the harbour, it could not release torpedoes owing to severe hull bow cage buckling, thought to be caused by the actions of the Yandra. Post War resumed peacetime services on the South Australian Gulfs. Ran aground in dense fog on a rocky island in the Neptune Group near the entrance to Spencer Gulf, 24 January 1959 and written off. Yandra means "All alike"

FLINDERS 489 gross tons, 278 net. Lbd: 195'7" x 25' x 12'1". Iron steamship built by J Laing, Sunderland as a passenger/cargo vessel for Thomas Elder & Partners., Port Adelaide. Held compounded engine producing 90 horsepower. Arrived at Port Adelaide 14 March 1875. Elder and others had established a limited liability Company with 'Flinders' in the forefront and placed her upon the run to Melbourne. December 1876 of the Spencer's Gulf Steamship Co Ltd working the Spencer Gulf as well as the successful Melbourne run. The success in fact led to the formation of the Adelaide Steam Ship Company of which T Elder and others within Spencer's Gulf Steamship Co Ltd were shareholders. During 1876 a conflict of interests between Management & major shareholders of the Adelaide S S Co with 'Flinders' owners, however closely aligned, saw 'Flinders' removed from the Melbourne run. Acquired 1886 by the Adelaide Steamship Co Ltd and made the occassional 'intercolonial' voyages. Sold November 1900 to W Collins & Sons Ltd., Brisbane and employed on the Brisbane - Maryborough - Bundaberg run. At times was chartered to the Australasian United S N Co., Sydney. Laid up during 1925 and register finally closed 1928 upon advice the vessel had been demolishedROYAL SHEPHERD 265 gross tons, 184 net. Lbd: 148'1" x 19'8" x 10'5". Re-measured July 1857 (presumably when bowsprit removed etc) as 331 gross tons, 245 net. Lbd: 139'9" x 19'8" x 10'5". (42 metres long and 6 metres wide). Built by Blackwood & Gordon at Paisley, Scotland, in 1853. 3 masts and an oscillating engine producing 60 horsepower. Passenger vessel accomodating 60. Owned in 1854 by the Launceston Steam Navigation Co., registered in Launceston. July 1857 owned by G Fisher & Partners (Launceston and Melbourne Steam Navigation Co). Intended for the Bass Strait run, she had little success, and was sold December 1864 to Joseph Darwent of Port Adelaide. Darwent was a grain factor, shipping agent and clearly a shipowner. Vessel has one mast removed 1866. A regular on the Wallaroo service. 1871 sold to Andrew Tennant (pastoralist) & Others, Adelaide. Sold again in December 1876 to Spencer's Gulf S S Co, working the Spencer Gulf in South Australia, continuing that service following the takeover/merger by Adelaide Steamship Co, Adelaide. H J Cattanach, W A Firth, and T Elder have all been named by various sources as having ownership during her South Australia career. October 1885 sold to J Warburton and Son of Pyrmont, Sydney. Another source states J Mitchell, Sydney as owner from October 1885. Intended as a collier but found other work until converted into a collier October 1889. Was towing a sailing ship to Wollongong when she sank after collision the steamship Hesketh 14 july 1890 off Sydney Heads. No lives lostFRANKLIN 730 gross tons, 395 net. Lbd: 200' x 26'3" x 11'7". Iron steamship built by D & W Henderson at Patrick, Glasgow. Compounded engine = 280 horsepower by builder. First owner - Spencer's Gulf Steamship Co Ltd., Port Adelaide. Capable of carrying 60 passengers, she serviced the outports of South Australia until December 1882 when taken over by Adelaide Steamship Co, and serviced many of their coastal routes. Wrecked April 18 1902 at Point Malcolm, Israelite Bay, Western Australia when operating as a mail steamer between Albany and Esperance KANGAROO 227 gross tons, 186 net. Lbd: 136'6" x 20'5" x 11'2". Iron steamship built by J Wigham Richardson & Co., Low Walker on Tyne. Of 2 cylinder engine = 45 hp and rigged as a 3 masted schooner. First owner - J A Lloyd, Sydney who placed her on the New South Wales coal trade. Sold February 1865 to J Beeby, Port Adelaide who utilised her in passenger-cargo capacity on the South Australian gulf services. November 1865 owned by J Yeo & Partners. A regular on the Wallaroo service. July 1867 of Elder & Smith & Partners. December 1876 of the newly formed Spencer's Gulf Steamship Co Ltd, Port Adelaide. 1877 saw new tonnages (refit perhaps?) as 248 gross and 186 net. November 1881 sold to W H Dickson, manager Westport Colliery and registered at Dunedin, New Zealand. 1883 owned by Westport Coal Co Ltd. May 2 1884 when on passage from Westport to Lyttelton New Zealand, struck a rock off Cape Campbell and eventually sank near Bowlers reef. There were 16 crew and one passenger

EMU1876-1901>

EVA1876-1903>

INVESTIGATOR1882-1918>

EMU 616 gross tons, 362 net. Lbd: 179'4" x 25'1" x 11'7". Compounded engine = 96 hp. Built by Blackwood & Gordon Port Glasgow for R W Osborne & Partners, Port Adelaide. September 1887 Euro Steamship Co Ltd., of which was formed at least in part by R W Osborne. December 1881 of the Spencer Gulf Steamship Co Ltd. December 1882 of the Adelaide Steamship Co as result of merger. Circa 1898 chartered by Circular Saw Line. Sold September 1901 with Australian registry closed. New owners seem to be S A Union of Noumea. Lloyds of London had her classed as a 'pontoon' until 1924. Another independant source claimed she was abandoned as a hull in Baie de la Moselle, NoumeaEVA 8 tons. Wooden steamship built for the Spencer's Gulf Steamship Co, in 1876 by the White Brothers in Williamstown, Victoria. The vessel was 11.8m long, 2.8m beam and 1.6m deep. The engine was 7 horsepower. (11.8m long, 2.8m beam and 1.6m deep.) Owned by Adelaide Steamtug Co in 1899, and others (unknown) in 1896, and 1903. The Eva was travelling from Port Adelaide to Beachport, crossing Backstairs Passage in heavy seas a leak was discovered. At 4 am on 4th September 1903 the vessel was beached at Antechamber Bay and broke up near Cape Willoughby, Kangaroo Island, 4th September 1903INVESTIGATOR 583 gross tons, 345 net. Lbd: 210'3" x 28'3" x 12'5". Compouned engine = 80hp, boiler - 80psi. Passenger Cargo Vessel built by D & W Henderson Ltd Glasgow for Spencer's Gulf Steamship Co Ltd, Port Adelaide. Could carry 32 passengers in servicing the 'gulf' region. February 1883 (officially) of the Adelaide Steamship Co., and serviced a greater range of ports outside of Spencer's Gulf, including a run (the Company's first) to Western Australia. 1903 passenger accomodation removed. Wrecked 24th April 1918 at Wardang Island South Australia (Source: unashamedly from R Parsons book "Australian Coastal Passenger Ships') see links for availability

Note: Upon the 'Gulf' trades of South Australia were many steam and sail only vessels. Here then I have prioritised the better known concerns for their notoriety, essentiality and their rivalry with the Adelaide Steam Ship Company which ultimately prevailed.To find individual owners just look at 'South Australia owners' webpage listed elsewhere upon this website.To find a particular vessel just look at the A-Z Ship Name webpage upon this siteAs this website is still building, on the basis of time, resources and expenses in acquiring essential data and images, not ALL vessels and shipowners are listed. Therefore I ask your patience, understanding and perhaps assistence where practible
Finally and very specificially, much of my data comes from Ronald Parsons publications, this page in particular sourced from his 'Yorke Peninsular Shipping' booklet which I purchased via Goulds Genealogy (See links) unto both which I recognise as invaluble historical source and material source>